With an expectation of 10,000 in attendance this year, GhanapicOhio will celebrate 21 years fraternity of picnic, music, sports, food, and community awareness at Maloney Park, Columbus Ohio on Saturday, August 10, 2024, from 10am to 8pm.

“Our theme for 2024 is Heritage to Horizon: 21 Years Strong,” Elder Kwabenah Boamah-Acheampong told the New Americans magazine.

GhanapicOhio

The current name is “GhanapicOhio”, and its inception was in 2002 at Innis Park. Four (4) Ghanaian community churches in Columbus – Jesus Power Assembly of God, Ebenezer United Methodist Church, Church of Pentecost and Apostolic Church International felt the inspired need for an ecumenical picnic which will bring the community together to celebrate the outdoors with their families, friends and community. By 2005, there were 11 hosting churches under the leadership of Elder Baffour Awuah (Chair) and Eld. Boamah-Acheampong (Secretary from Ramseyer Presbyterian Church) and the inspired guidance of Rev. Bassaw and the Council of Ghanaian Churches.

Annual Expectation

The picnic had quickly become an annual expectation with a fixed date of the second Saturday in August. With a focus on unity, the name Onegoalfamily picnic was adopted, and Maloney Park became our permanent home.

Highlights

From its onset, the program highlights included various key areas – health screening, sports and games, music, food and fraternity and community awareness.

Unification

Alongside, another Ghanaian picnic had also been initiated by the Ghana Council which comprised of several Ghanaian ethnic associations as the host. Hence in 2011, with consensus, the two picnics, Onegoalfamily picnic and the Ghana Associations Picnic merged to become GhanapicOhio.

With the merger, the activities were enhanced with a parade of royalty – cultural drumming and dancing with a durbar style gathering with goodwill messages.

21^st Anniversary

This year marks the 21st celebration (during COVID-19 we did not hold the festival) Our theme for 2024 is Heritage to Horizon: 21 Years Strong. Essentially, we wish to build on our success with a plan for successive leaders and increased participation. Last year we introduced vendors and this year, we have about 15 young entrepreneur vendors selling mostly African stuff. We need to patronize our own.

Participation

Min Francis Amo, an international gospel artist from Ghana will again electrify the GhanapicOhio stage with his uplifting dance music. All together over 40 -50 organizations (churches, associations and vendors) will participate. The soccer gala has a new trophy for 2024/2025 enthusiastically donated by Bernard Konadu and Family (Buckeye Home Health). Business sponsors include Blue Rose Ltd, TaptapSend, PNC Morse Branch and Key Bank Worthington Branch.

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